Holidays in Messinia

Jaw-dropping beaches. Pine-cloaked mountains. And the kind of authentic Greek atmosphere that sweeps away stresses in seconds. Pretty much unknown by the usual holiday hordes, this corner of Greece has got 'escape from the modern world' written all over it. Most visitors here fly into the main town, Kalamata, and then head south to The Mani or west to Messinia. And they're rewarded in a big, way. In Messinia for instance, you'll find picturesque ports like Yialova and Koroni where sleepy flower-filled lanes are overlooked by Medieval castles. And nearby, some of the finest beaches you've ever set eyes on. And that's not all. Messinia has got plenty in the way of history. There are old Ottoman citadels, aeons-old Mycenean ruins and famous classical sites like Olympia. All nestled into gentle hills dusted with fig trees and hill villages. In The Mani, meanwhile, a different world awaits. Spliced in half by the Taygetos Mountains, this peninsula is wild and wonderful all at once. Jagged slopes make way for deep ravines and forests that are perfect for hiking. Stone villages with castle-tower-houses give a wink to the past. Dreamy pebble beaches promise long, dozy days in the sun. And picturesque towns like Kardamyli beckon with beautiful beaches, red-roofed houses and waterside tavernas. All in all, if it's a taste of authentic Greece that you're after, it doesn't come much better than Kalamata.

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Photos of Messinia

Try a private boat excursion in Pylos to visit the neighbouring islands., Sunbathe on the golden sands of Yialova Beach., Try dining Al-Fresco in Nauplion., Explore the historical Pylos Castle, and medieval fortress., Voidokoilia with its white sands and shallow shores is by far the best beach on the island., The relaxing hillside village of Pylos., Eat out at a taverna overlooking the very boats which caught the fish you are eating in Pylos., The soft sandy beaches and crystal clear waters of Voidokoilia, Koroni, a relaxing and authentic Greek hide-away., Messinia photo 10, Messinia photo 11, Messinia photo 12, Messinia photo 13